Press feed and ejector apparatus

ABSTRACT

A press feed and ejector mechanism is operatively mounted in conjunction with a die for securing closure flanges within openings in drum heads. The press operation is automated to the extent that a pair of closure flanges are fed into properly aligned work receiving position in the press die and the finished drum head with flanges inserted is ejected from the die each time the press cycles.

United States Patent Inventor Seward M. Roberts San Mateo, Calif.

Appl. No. 860,451

Filed JulyV l5, 1969 ivis'i'n 0f ser. No. 590,993, oct. 31, 1966,ahfmdwsi;

Patented Mar. 23, 1971 Assignee American Flange & Manufacturing Co.,

Inc. New York, N.Y.

PRESS FEED AND EJECTOR APPARATUS 4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl. 29/208, 29/211, 29/243.52, 29/512, 113/121 Int. Cl B23p 19/04Field of Search ..29/512, 208

v@,208(1-:),211,211 (D),243.52; 113/121 (E) [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,777,772 10/1930 Shera 29/243.52 2,325,929 8/1943Amesbury et al (29/512UX) 2,591,203 4/1952 Schmalz (29/211UX) 2,930,1143/1960 Erdmann 29/211X 3,039,179 6/1962 Benichasa 29/208(C) 3,093,1026/1963 Gardner.... (29/512UX) 3,265,781 8/1966 Peterson (29/512UX)Primary Examiner-Charlie T. Moon Attorney-Albert M. Parker ABSTRACT: Apress feed and ejector mechanism is operatively mounted in conjunctionwith a die for securing closure flanges within openings in drum heads.The press operation is automated to the extent that a pair of closureflanges are fed into properly aligned work receiving position in thepress die and the finished drum head with flanges inserted is ejectedfrom the die each time the press cycles.

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PATENUU MAR23 IBYI -v -TLV lli PRESS FEED ANlll lElEt'l'UltAlPlPAltA'llllS This is a divisional application of application Ser. No.590,993, filed Oct. 3 l 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a method an apparatus for the automatedmanufacture of drum heads and is particularly concerned with feedingclosure flanges into and ejecting finished drum heads out of metalworking presses.

ln the manufacture of heads for steel drums one operation is concernedwith the provision of a 2-inch and a a)fi-inch threaded plug opening ineach head through which the finished drum may be subsequently filled,emptied and vented. During this operation the head is perforated at twodiametri cally opposed positions and about each perforation there isformed a suitable opening neck for mated engagement with an internallythreaded closure flange. A 2inch and a lli-inch flange are thenpermanently secured within the perforations to complete the operation.Although these steps may be combined or broken down as desired dependingon manufacturing conditions, the operation requires the placing ofclosure flanges and drum heads in a metalworking press and removal ofthe head with its inserted flanges therefrom. Automation of thisoperation and more precisely the simultaneous feeding of closure flangesinto operative position within a metal working press and ejection of thefinished head from the press is the subject of this invention.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a new andimproved method for automating press operations. A

Another object is to provide a new and improved apparatus for carryingout that method.

Another object is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus forfeeding and discharging component parts in a press operation.

Another object is to provide new an improved method and apparatus forthe insertion of closure flanges in drum heads.

A further object is tolprovide an improved method and apparatus forfeeding closure flanges into a flange insertion die in a metal workingpress.

A further object is to provide an improved method and apparatus forejectng drum heads out of a flange insertion die in a metal workingpress.

A still further object is to provide a method and apparatus foreffecting flange feeding and head ejecting simultaneously.

Further and more detailed objects of the invention will in part beobvious and in part pointed out as the description of the invention,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing proceeds. ln thatdrawing:-

FlG. ll is a perspective view of the flange feed and drum head ejectormechanism in accordance with the invention operatively positioned inconjunction with a flange insertion die in a metalworking press;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the lower die showing the flange feed andhead ejector mechanism in fully retracted position;

FlG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the flange feed and headejector mechanism in fully extended position;

FIG. 4l is a front elevational view of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 5-5 of FIG. 2 and looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FlG. ti is a sectional view taken on lines 6-6 of FIG. 3 and looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FlG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through the die showing therelationship of the parts prior to the flange insertion;

FlG. d is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the insertion die in closedposition; and

FlG. 9 is a perspective view of the die ring and flange feed chute.

p The metal working press within which the flange feed and ejectormechanism of the invention is installed is illustrated schematically inFlG. l and is seen to comprise a bolster plate l seated on the press bedand a ram 2 operatively connected to a conventional double actinghydraulic cylinder 3 is positioned above the bolster plate l. Hydrauliccylinder 3 is connected to a hydraulic source (not shown) and iscontrolled by a conventional valve (not shown) which, upon actuation,operates through one complete cycle to move the ram 2 downwardly towardbolster plate l. to the end of a predetermined stroke and then to returnto its starting position. The ram could of course be mechanically driventhrough a motor driven flywheel if desired. Seated within the press is adie set including an upper die shoe l secured to the ram 2 and a lowerdie shoe 5 secured to the bolster plate l.

The particular die shown is a tandem flange insertion die forpermanently and simultaneously securing a 2-inch closure flange and aBrt-inch closure flange within corresponding preformed openings in asteel drum head. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 7 the drum head 6 is asubstantially flat disclike member having formed about itsperiphery ashort upstanding wall 7 terminating at its upper end in a radiallyoutwardly extending rim 8. The wall 7 and rim 8 cooperate with the drumbody during subsequent fabrication thereof to form the chime of thefinished drum. Diametrically aligned within the head 6 are two openingsformed to receive the flanges and having the identical configurationdiffering only in size. As seen in FIG. '7 these openings are surroundedby a recessed pocket 9 having a polygonal configuration. A shortcylindrical neclr l0 extends upwardly from the pocket 9. vThe twoclosure flanges are also identical in configuration differing only insize and generally indicated by numeral lll. Each flange ll comprises acylindrical wall l2 internally threaded at 13 throughout its lowerportion and surrounded by a radially extending polygonal base ld. Arubber gasket l5 surrounds the wall l2 and rests on the upper surface ofthe polygonal base M.

The insertion operation is effected by placing the drum head over thetwo flanges with the polygonal flange bases i4 vertically aligned withthe polygonal pockets 9. The two members are then matingly engaged withthe gasket l5 therebetween and the upper end of the flange wall 12 isthen curled over the upper end of the opening neck lll as seen in FIG. bthus permanently securing the flange within the head.

rl"he die for effecting the flange insertion is arranged in tandem withthe 2inch and M4-inch sides of the die being identical in constructionand differing only in size. Each of the upper dies is in the form of acurling anvil 16 secured to the upper die shoe 4 and which, as seen inFIG. has a working surface contoured to form the upper end ofthe flangecylindrical wall l2 over the upper end ofthe neck lll in the drum headto form a tight bead. Each of the lower dies are in the form of an anvilll7 having an enlarged base l0 mounted on the lower die shoe 5. Fourequally spaced upwardly opening bores i9 are formed in the base lwithinwhich guide pins 20 are threadedly engaged. Each guide pin 20 has anenlarged head 2l slideably received within corresponding upwardlyopening bores 22 formed in a ring 23 which is slideably mounted aboutthe anvil i7. The lower portion of each bore 22 is reduced to thediameter of the pin 2l) so that the head 2l of each pin 2l) is retainedwithin said bore. A coil spring 24 is mounted about each pin 20 in aslightly compressed condition and extends between the bottom surface ofbore t9 and the lower surface of ring 23 to resiliently retain ring 23positioned at its uppermost position. The inner cylindrical surface 25of the ring 23 is interrupted by an upwardly facing shelf 26 surroundedby a vertical wall 27 having apolygonal configuration corresponding tothe base ld of the flange lll so that when a flange is fully seated inthe die, the flange bore ld rests on the shelf 26 of ring 23.

As shown in FlG. 9 a portion of the upper sidewall of ring 23 is cutaway to provide for feeding of flanges onto the polygonal shaped shelf26. The cut away portion is provided with a flat surface 26a which isparallel to and spaced above the shelf 26 a distance equal to thethickness ofthe flange base lll so that as a flange is fed across flatsurface 26a it will drop onto and be retained on shelf 26. A flange feedchute 2@ having a base 23a and side rails 29 is provided to feed flangesto ring 23. The forward end of chute base 2da is shaped to conform tothe outside curvature of the ring 23. Side rails 29 are secured to thetop surface of base 2da and extend'forwardly thereof to overlie thesurface 26a and are secured thereto by suitable means such as screwslill. The upper surface of base 2da is thus retained in alignment withsurface 26a of ring 23 so that flanges may be moved across them withoutobstruction. As shown in FIG. i the flange feed chutes 28 extendoutwardly away from each ring 23 for a substantial distance.

The mechanism 'for feeding the flanges along the chutes 28 andsimultaneously ejecting the finished head is best shown in FIGS. i, 2and 3. A conventional double acting air cylinder 3l having a piston andpiston rod 37 is positioned between the feed chutes 28 and extends inparallel relationship thereto. The cylinder 31. is secured by screws 32to the upstanding flange of a mounting bracket 33 which is in turnsecured to the rear portion of the lower die shoe by screws 34. An airline 3S is connected to the inner end of cylinder 31 to selectivelypermit compressed air to be supplied to move the piston and piston rod37 in its return stroke and to permit the evacuating of air from theinner end of the cylinder when the piston and piston rod 37 are moved inits working stroke. Air line 36 is connected to the outer end ofcylinder 31 to selectively permit compressed air to be supplied to movethe piston and piston rod 37 in its working stroke and to permit theevacuating of air from the outer end of the cylinder when the piston andpiston rod 37 are moved in its return stroke. Both air lines 35, 36 areconnected to a remote four-way control valve, (not shown) of the typemanufactured by the Nopak Division, Gallari- Henning Manufacturing Co.and known as a Nopaxam Model No. 54-52-10.

Channel members 38 and 39 are positioned on either side of air cylinder31 and extend beyond said cylinder where their inner ends are joinedtogether and held in said spaced apart position by a plate 40. The outerend of piston rod 37 is threaded and is secured through an aperture inplate 40 by means of a nut 4l. ln this manner the member 38, 39 move ina reciprocating path with said piston rod. One end of an arm 42 issecured to the outer end of channel member 38 and extends outwardlytherefrom to a position where its other end overlies the side rails 29of one of the flange feed chutes 28. One end of another arm 43 issecured to the outer end of channel member 39 and extends outwardlytherefrom to a position where its other end overlies the side rails 29of the other of the flange feed chutes 28. A drum head supportingbracket 45 spans the outer ends of channel members 38, 39 and is securedto arms 42, 43 by bolts 46 to retain the outer ends of channel members38, 39 in spaced apart position. An upstanding wall 46a having acurvature corresponding to the curvature of the peripheral wall 7 of thedrum head 6 is formed on the leading edge of bracket 45. When the drumhead is in operative relation to the die members the wall 7 is incontact with the bracket wall 45a and the rim 8 rests on the top of wall45a. A pusher lip 44 extends downwardly from the undersurface of theouter ends of each arm 42 and 43 into the space formed between the siderails 29 of the flange feed chute 28. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 siderails 29 are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of a flange tobe fed. Thus as the piston rod 37 is moved outwardly from cylinder 3l inits working stroke the channel members 38, 39 are moved forward andcarrying the bracket wall 45a and arms 42, 43. As the bracket 45 movesforward it pushes the drum head with the secured flanges out of the dieand at the same time pushes a new pair of flanges into proper alignmentwithin ring 23.

The pneumatic circuit for actuating the piston and piston rod 37 of aircylinder 37 is controlled by the above mentioned remote four-way controlvalve which is connected to a source of compressed air (not shown). Theremote four-way control valve is actuated by a conventional air valve 47to cause the piston and piston rod 37 to move in its working stroke andby a conventional air valve 55 to cause the piston and piston rod 37` tomove in its return stroke. The air valve 47, which is normally closed,is connected to the source of compressed air by air line 48a to one sideof the valve and to the remote four-way control valve by means of airline 4g on the other side of the valve. Air valve 47 is operated by aspring loaded plunger 47a. An L-shaped lever 49 having an upwardlyextending leg 5l is pivotally connected at 50 to the body of switch 47.A spring 51a retains leg S1 in an upstanding position adjacent the endof plunger 47a. A pawl member 52 is pivotally mounted at 52a to leg 51.A pin 54 secured to leg 5l restricts the upward movement of pawl 52. Aspring 54a retains pawl 52 against pin 54 and in a horizontal plane inthe path of finger 53 secured to the end surface ofthe vertically movingdie shoe 4. Thus as the die shoe 4 moves downwardly the pawl 52 willfreely swing downwardly when contacted by finger 53 without moving lever49. When the die shoe 4 moves upwardly the finger 53 will contact thelower surface of pawl 52. Since pawl 52 cannot pivot upwardlydue to pin54 continued upward movement of die shoe 4 will cause lever to pivotupwardly so that leg 5l will push plunger 47a inwardly and open valve47. The opening of valve 47 permits the passage of compressed airthrough line 45 to actuate the remote four-way control valve wherebycompressed air is directed, through line 36, to cylinder 3l.

Air valve 55 is positioned adjacent the inner end of cylinder 3l and isoperated by a spring loaded plunger 55a. Valve 55, which is nonnallyclosed, is connected to the source of compressed air by air line 56a toone side of the valve and to the remote four-way control valve by meansof air line 56 on the other side of the valve. A cam 57 is secured tothe outer end of channel member 38 to push plunger 55a inwardly and openvalve 55 when the 'piston rod reaches its fully extended position asshown in FIG. 3. The opening of valve 55 permits the passage ofcompressed air through line 56 to actuate the remote four-way controlvalve whereby compressed air is directed, through line 37to cylinder 3l.

ln back of the press there is an endless conveyor belt 5B mounted at oneend on a pulley 59. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 6, the upper reaches of theconveyor belt 58 is positioned below the piston rod 37 when in itsextended position so that the finished head can slide off of thesupporting bracket wall 45a and over the end of the piston rod and plate40 onto the discharge belt 58.

The operation of the above described apparatus is as follows. Uponinitial cycling of the press a pair of closure flanges is first placedby hand in the two sides of the insertion die with the flange base 14resting on the shelf 26 in the ring 23. This priming step is onlynecessary at the start of a production run. The operator then places adrum head 6 in the die on top of the flanges with the flange wall 12extending up into the opening neck 10 and with the drum head rim 8resting on top of the supporting bracket wall 45a. Two flanges are thenplaced by the operator in the respective 2-inch and 3ft-inch feed chutes28 at the outer ends thereof. The press is cycled by the operator and asthe ram 2 descends the finger 53 moves ineffectively past valve 47 andthe upper die members 16 push the opening neck 10 and pocket 9 downaround the flange wall l2. Continued downward movement of the upper diemember 16 depresses ring 23 below the top surface of anvil 17 and seatsthe flange base 14 on the anvil 17 whereby the upper end of the flangewall 12 is beaded over the opening neck l0. On the return upward strokeof the ram 2 and die 4 the finger 53 opens valve 47 and actuates theworking stroke of air cylinder 31 as described above. As the piston rod37 advances, carrying with it the head supporting bracket 4S and thearms 42 and 43, the finished drum head 6 is ejected from the press ontothe conveyor belt 58 and at the same time the two flanges previouslyplaced on the outer ends of the feed chutes 28 are pushed by the lip 44on arms 42, 43 along the chutes and automatically positioned in thelower die rings 23. Upon reaching the end of its stroke as shown in FIG.3 the action of the cylinder is reversed by opening valve 5S by the camelement 57 which actuates the return stroke of cylinder 31 as describedabove. The flange feeding apparatus is thus returned to its initialposition as illustrated in FIG. 2 whereupon the operator places anotherhead in position in the die and two more flanges in the ends of the feedchutes. The press is then cycled and the operation repeated.

Changes in and modifications of the method and apparatus of theinvention as might suggest themselves to those skilled in the art couldbe made withort departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.For example the improved feeding and ejecting apparatus could easily beused in conjunction with press operations employing different dies forassembling other parts. lt is accordingly intended that all mattercontained in respect to said lower die and to thereafter move said upperdie away from said lower die, means to move said supporting framebetween a first position spaced from said lower die to a second positionadjacent said lower die, means responsive to the movement of said upperdie away from said lower die to actuate the moving means of saidsupporting frame to move said frame into said second position therebymoving the first and second components out of said lower die andsimultaneously moving a new first component into work receiving positionwithin said lower die, and means responsive to the movement of saidsupporting frame into said second position to actuate said frame movingmeans thereby moving said frame into said first position.

2. ln a press as in claim 1, and including a first component closureflange and a second component drum head wherein said first and secondcomponents are assembled when said upper die is in work preformingrelationship with respect to said lower die.

3. ln a press as in claim l, said means for moving said supporting frameincluding a power operated cylinder and piston.

4. ln a press as in claim l, said supporting frame having a portiondirectly engaging said first component part within said feed chute toeffect said feeding.

1. In a press, an upper die, a lower die, a first component feed chuteoperatively connected to said lower die, a second component supportingframe operatively associated with said lower die and with said firstcomponent feed chute, means to move said upper die into work performingrelationship with respect to said lower die and to thereafter move saidupper die away from said lower die, means to move said supporting framebetween a first position spaced from said lower die to a second positionadjacent said lower die, means responsive to the movement of said upperdie away from said lower die to actuate the moving means of saidsupporting frame to move said frame into said second position therebymoving the first and second components out of said lower die andsimultaneously moving a new first component into work receiving positionwithin said lower die, and means responsive to the movement of saidsupporting frame into said second position to actuate said frame movingmeans thereby moving said frAme into said first position.
 2. In a pressas in claim 1, and including a first component closure flange and asecond component drum head wherein said first and second components areassembled when said upper die is in work preforming relationship withrespect to said lower die.
 3. In a press as in claim 1, said means formoving said supporting frame including a power operated cylinder andpiston.
 4. In a press as in claim 1, said supporting frame having aportion directly engaging said first component part within said feedchute to effect said feeding.